Documenting daily life in Colombia through illustration

Just over a month ago, I finished my Peace Corps service in a peri-urban fishing community located 25 minutes north of Cartagena, Colombia.

I’m still thinking about scenes that I need to draw—the lime green cart filled with fritos surrounded by red plastic tables and chairs, the aggressive hat vendors in the Centro and the bustling, chaotic Bazurto Mercado. Cartagena continues to inspire me.

Throughout the last 27 months in Colombia, I documented my experience through a series of full-color illustrations and daily drawings. During training, before I knew much about Colombia, I began making collages of scenery from the beaches outside of Barranquilla, typical meals, and street scenes with kids riding bikes and playing soccer. However, on a trip back to the States, I discovered a set of Prismacolor markers that I hadn’t used since high school. The fuchsias, turquoises, and bright yellows reminded me of the colors I saw everyday in Cartagena, and I hadn’t realized the extent of their absence until I was once again surrounded by the calm blues, whites, and muted tones of a New England summer.

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